Parmentier Potatoes - French Potato Recipe | Greedy Gourmet (2024)

As quick and easy side dishes go, few things can compete with parmentier potatoes. A super-speedy version of the classic oven roasted potatoes, these little crispy cubes of joy are so simple to make and deliver on all fronts.

With barely any prep time - most of the work is done in the oven - this roasted cubed potatoes recipe makes the perfect side to a Sunday roast or a midweek meal.

Parmentier potatoes recipe

This recipe for parmentier potatoes takes about 10 minutes to prepare. First, you’ll heat the oil in the oven.

While the oil is getting nice and hot, you’ll parboil the potatoes in salted water for 5-10 minutes. They should be slightly cooked, but with a good crunch to them.

You’ll drain them and dry them, place the cubed potatoes on the baking tray and get every part of the potato covered in oil. This is important – you want good oil coverage to get nice crispy roast potatoes.

The parmentier potatoes recipe roasting process is two-stage – first, you’ll roast for 20 minutes in the oven at 200°C, then you’ll add the garlic and fresh herbs for an extra 15 minutes.

Take them out of the oven after 15 minutes, you’ll end up with beautiful, crispy, golden brown parmentier potatoes.

History of parmentier potatoes

This delicious potato dish is named after Antoine Augustin Parmentier, a pharmacist who made potatoes popular in France. Before Parmentier, the French viewed potatoes as dull and cheap – not to be eaten by people as cultured as they were.

Parmentier changed all that. After a very long imprisonment during the Seven Years War, he survived on a diet almost completely made up of potatoes.

Years later, Parmentier would stage elaborate feasts made up of elegant potato dishes. He invited the most famous and influential people of the time, including Benjamin Franklin.

One of these dishes, a simple cubed potatoes dish, roasted with garlic, herbs and oil, became a firm favourite of the French and, soon, the world. It became known as ‘parmentier potatoes.’

Before long, 'le spud' was a favourite ingredient in kitchens all over France.

What are parmentier potatoes?

A simple yet delicious side dish, potatoes parmentier are cubed potatoes fried or roasted with garlic and herbs.

The perfect parmentier potato is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with a generous sprinkling of herbs and infused with a beautiful taste of garlic.

Just a few minutes prep time and 35 minutes in the oven (20 minutes ‘crisping’ time, then 15 with the herbs and garlic added) make parmentier potatoes nice and easy to make.

So, if you’re after a simple side recipe that’s light on work and big on taste, this parmentier potatoes recipe is the one for you.

Is it better to boil potatoes before roasting?

Boiling potatoes before roasting – or ‘parboiling’ is a great way to get that fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside texture. There are a few other steps to take in order to get that perfect texture, but this is the first.

How long should I boil potatoes?

While parboiling potatoes is the first step on the way to getting perfect fluffy on the inside crispy on the outside parmentier potatoes, make sure you don’t boil them for too long! You’ll end up with mushy potatoes.

Parboil for no more than 5 minutes on a high heat (10 minutes on a simmer). That way, you’ll have the perfect parmentier potatoes.

Are canned potatoes fully cooked?

Canned potatoes are par-cooked, meaning you can use them in this recipe. Just skip the first part and add them to the hot baking tray.

Fresh potatoes are still the better option but, if you can’t get hold of any, canned or tinned potatoes will do.

Can you freeze potatoes parmentier?

Freezing and reheating parmentier potatoes isn’t a great idea. They’ll lose a lot of their flavour and especially their texture which, instead of being nice and crunchy, will turn a bit leathery.

How do you store parmentier potatoes?

If you do have leftovers, store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.

When it comes to reheating, put them in the oven at 200°C / fan 180°C / 400°F / gas mark 6 for around 15 minutes, until hot and crispy.

What do you serve parmentier potatoes with?

You can make parmentier potatoes as a side dish to lots of different meals. Here are few that will have you salivating all over the screen.

• Minted lamb burgers – this supremely tasty burger is the perfect pairing with parmentier potatoes.
• Chicken with rhubarb sauce – a heart-warming dish with tangy flavours.
• Beef fillet with garlic mustard butter – serve this one up for a special occasion.
• Slow cooked lamb shanks – a Sunday dinner to die for!
• Sous vide beef cheeks – pair these with your parmentier potatoes and you’ll be in heaven!
• Tobacco onions - if you love all things crispy and golden, you simply have to make this side dish!

More great potato recipes

• Confit potatoes – with just a handful of basic ingredients, this recipe is so simple to make. But it’s such a delicious dish that you’ll never want to eat normal potatoes again. Soft, moist and utterly mouthwatering, confit potatoes take the humble spud to new heights.
• Potato bhajis – a classic Indian starter, potato bhajis are the perfect spicy snack. These amazing spiced potatoes make for a great recipe, especially for those Indian cooking fans who have never tried the homemade kind.
• Rosemary potatoes – rosemary is one of the best ingredients to pair with potatoes and this roast potatoes recipe with rosemary is the perfect showcase. Roast up these bad boys and serve with your Sunday lunch for a delicious feast!
• Potato green bean and chili salad – a quick, easy and absolutely scrumptious lunch, this potato salad is a winner. For those who like a little kick with their light lunch, this recipe is perfect.
• Spicy low-fat potato wedges with mint raita – an amazing low fat recipe that tastes fantastic, these low-fat wedges make the perfect party appetiser or side dish.
• Gratin dauphinois – this fabulous French fancy is an indulgent delight. Creamy, rich and melt-in-your-mouth fantastic, gratin dauphinois is an incredible dish that, when served with steak, will blow your mind!
• Rosemary potatoes - hasselback new potatoes roasted with olive oil, garlic and rosemary until crunchy and golden.

What’s your favourite potato recipe? Let me know in the comments below!

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